Palmetto SC Red Cross deploys 25 disaster-workers to Midwest

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Nearly 1,000 people have stayed in shelters across the Midwest as flooding continues to devastate homes, according to the American Red Cross.

The organization has called on volunteers across the country to assist in the relief, including in the Lowcountry.

"We wanted to step in and help because we've been through it before and saw the power of volunteers from all over the country who came in to help," said American Red Cross Palmetto SC Region spokesman Cuthbert Langley.

As of Wednesday morning, 25 disaster workers from the Lowcountry have either deployed or will be traveling to impacted areas in the Midwest.

"It's great going out and helping people," said Gary Gardner, a Lowcountry disaster worker.

Gardner is one of those workers who's headed to South Bend, Indiana.

Since last week, officials with the American Red Cross said flood waters have affected thousands of people across Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio.

"They're really beginning to see the devastation that the flood waters have left behind in that area," Langley said. "Here in the Charleston office, we've seen volunteers who are excited to go. They're ready to go and help folks out. This is what they do. This is what they love to do."

Recently, Gardner was deployed to California to assist in the wildfires.

While the mentality of that situation is different from flooding, Langley said their workers are trained for a variety of different disasters.

But Gardner is more familiar with handling flooding situations because of the issues in our area, like the 1,000 year flood.

He said seeing the number of workers who came from across the country to help out Lowcountry homeowners, deserves the same respect.

"Yes we're repaying the favor," Gardner said. "I have a lot of friends who I've met through the years through various deployments."

An emergency response vehicle from North Charleston was also sent Wednesday morning to help support disaster areas in the Midwest. Another ERV left from Columbia.

According to an American Red Cross news release, several rivers are at flood stage and more rain is forecast for the Mississippi and Tennessee river valleys through the week. Some regions could see as much as an additional five inches of rain.